


Terma

by 30xf



Series: 201 Days Of X Files [81]
Category: The X-Files
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-07
Updated: 2017-06-07
Packaged: 2018-11-10 11:09:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11125836
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/30xf/pseuds/30xf





	Terma

"How's it going?" Scully asked, coming around the corner of the privacy curtain around Mulder's bed.

He sighed, sitting on the edge of the bed, careful not to let his hospital gown reveal too much. "Well, I don't think I'll have to condition my hair for a few months, but other than that, I might finally be clean."

Scully gave a slight roll of her eyes. His cleanliness was plainly visible. "I meant more in a medical sense. What did the doctor say?" She came to stand at his bedside, depositing two plastic shopping bags in the nearby chair.

"I'm fine," he nodded. "A little stiff and sore from being thrown across that field, but that'll pass. Plus some ringing in my ears from the explosion."

"That's to be expected," she allowed. "All things considered, you were pretty lucky."

"My suit's seen better days though," he chuckled, nodding towards the oily pile of clothes by the chair.

"Well, I found some basics for you," she told him, grabbing the bags from the chair and setting them beside him. "Nothing fancy, but some jeans and a shirt. A jacket, too. I figured your shoes were probably salvageable."

"Thanks," he told her sincerely. The prospect of flying back to DC in hospital scrubs was less than appealing. He didn't look in the bags, but trusted she picked out something decent. He'd told her his size and she was back within half an hour. He only hoped she'd grabbed him underwear too--it was surprising how quickly oil seeped into the layers of clothes. "Looks like you came away pretty clean," he noted, taking a quick glance over her.

Scully nodded, taking in her appearance for the first time. "I think it mostly just got on my over-coat." She ran a hand through her hair and found a slightly oily mess at the ends of her hair, presumably from where Mulder's arm was draped around her. That would explain some of the looks she got at the store. Hopefully she'd have time to shower when they got back to DC. "If you're all good, then you'd better get dressed," she told him. "We need to be on a plane soon."

Without another word, she slipped out of the curtains, closing them behind her. She paced directly in front of them for a few minutes, mostly ignoring the goings on of the emergency room. "I think I might get you to pick out my clothes more often," Mulder said from behind the curtain. "These jeans fit better than any I've bought for myself."

Scully figured Mulder's announcement signaled that his vital bits were covered. She opened the curtain just as he finished pulling on his t-shirt. "Beats hospital scrubs, I guess," she commented, kicking at his pile of clothes until his shoes became visible.

"I'll tell you one thing though, that hospital sponge bath sure beats the hot oil treatment I got out in that field." 

She raised an eyebrow at him, "Even though you gave yourself the sponge bath?"

Mulder shrugged, "Beggars can't be choosers." He pulled the package of socks out of the bag and took one pair out. 

Scully took the other bag and shoved all of the oily clothes in it. "Your dry cleaner is gonna love you."

"Maybe you can take it in for me. Something tells me he'd be more willing to work at that if it came from you," Mulder suggested as he tied up his shoes.

"Uh-uh. I already went to jail for you. You can take the hit on the clothes."

"I still can't believe you went to jail for me," he shook his head as he put on his jacket. He slipped his badge in his pocket and clipped his gun to his pants.

"You would have done the same," she noted, handing him his bag of dirty clothes as they exited the emergency room.

"Yeah, but it's still pretty bad ass," he smiled, looking both ways down the street in search of a cab.

They'd talked about Mulder's experience in the Russian gulag on the plane, and she'd skipped over much of her own jail story. By comparison, it didn't seem like too big of a deal. "It wasn't bad ass," she told him. "I read books. Skinner came to visit me. There was a toilet beside the bed. And I got to go home and change in the morning. It was more like the weirdest sleepover ever."

Mulder spotted a cab and hailed it down. "It was still pretty cool," he told her, holding her door open. "And yet I can't wait to tell Skinner that you were the one who lost your gun this time out."

Scully sighed as Mulder slipped into the seat beside her. "I didn't lose it, someone took it. There's a difference. Don't make me regret going to jail for you."


End file.
